LUFC Bates on Leeds contract negotiations

Leeds United chairman Ken Bates gave an update with the on-going contract negotiations with five players at the club.

Tom Lees, Zac Thompson, Robert Snodgrass and Ross McCormack all have at least one year remaining on their current deals whilst Aidy White is out of contract this summer.

Youngsters Lees and Thompson only signed new deals with the club during the last season but they are being rewarded after impressing in their first season in the first team at Elland Road.

21-year-old Lees was an almost ever-present making 45 appearances. The versatile defender only signed a new deal last September tying him to the club until the summer of 2015.

Thompson was rewarded with a new eighteen-month deal last October after breaking into the first team when he made his debut as a second half substitute in the opening, championship home game against Middlesbrough.

The 19 year old made ten appearances, with eight starts and Bates says they are being rewarded for the progress made by the pair.

Speaking on Yorkshire Radio, Bates said, "We have Tom and Zac on reasonable contracts and we recognise their progress and want to increase their salaries accordingly."

Bates would not go into detail during his interview with Yorkshire Radio, but he feels young defender Aidy White, who is out of contract this summer is the least likely at this moment in time to sign a new deal.

"The biggest question at the moment is with Aidy White," added Bates.

Snodgrass and McCormack are both in contract until the summer of 2013 and have been offered new deals after impressive seasons at Elland Road.

Snodgrass has taken over the captaincy of the side since the arrival of manager Neil Warnock and the club have admitted they have offered him a deal to make him the highest paid player at the club.

Bates feels they are almost there with the deal with just a few sticking points. He continued,"We are almost there with Snodgrass. We have a few outstanding sticking points but there may be sticking points but we will just have to wait and see."

McCormack was the leading goalscorer for Leeds last season with 19 goals and Bates says he is still waiting for a response from the striker`s agent and Bates is frustrated that the agents keep the players away from the meetings when discussing new deals. "With Ross, we are still waiting for his agent to come back to us.

"I think players should be more involved with the negotiations. They should be present rather than being kept away but it doesn`t seem to be how it works,"added Warnock.

Bates made no mention of midfielder Adam Clayton who is out of contract in the summer of 2013 and was placed on the transfer list last week after negotiations between the club and player broke down.

The fastest growing Leeds United supporters club in the South of England, with over 200 members since its formation in April 2009, travel to all games home and away.

The branch has pick up points at Basingstoke, Reading, Didcot, Abingdon, Oxford, Bicester and Banbury and will consider other pick up points on request.

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